Moses revealed to us God’s
promise to Ishmael and his descendants in Genesis Chapters 16: 11-12 and 17: 20.As you might know Ishmael was a son of Abraham and the
servant Hagar.Because he was
conceived not in accordance with God’s will, but also was a son of Abraham the
father of nations, he was given a twofold promise for Ishmael and his
descendants.Ishmael was to be a
“wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand
will be against him.” (NIV)He
was to live in hostility toward all his brothers.But Abraham pleaded for some blessing from God for his only son at that
time.God promised Ishmael’s
descendants will be fruitful and he will father a great nation.God, however, denies the ultimate promise, the covenant, to Ishmael to
father the Messiah.That covenant
was given to the son to come, Isaac.

Let us look into the scriptures
further to discern why one son was more richly rewarded.Abraham was ninety-nine years old and Sarah was ninety when their first
child Isaac was conceived.God had
made an everlasting covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17: 6-7 that he would
father nations and kings and in verse 16 that Sarah would be the mother of
nations and kings.Abraham
demonstrated his faith in God and God’s power was proved by the birth of the
child Isaac by a previously barren woman in a childless marriage.

If in today’s world, as
children of Abraham and through our belief in Jesus Christ, we believe and trust
in God’s righteousness, we also will be richly blessed.As Paul tells us in Romans 9, the children of Israel can trace their
human ancestry of Christ, but not all will be blessed.Only the children of the promise, those who believe in Christ and call to
Him, will receive eternal glory.Amen

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